Take A Bow
by Phoenix-chick12
Summary: Rose is obsessed with Muse, and it's driving the Doctor insane...
1. Prologue

Prologue

Rose had been listening to their new music for days now. Well, new music for her; otherwise it was either ancient history or too new and different to comprehend! _The perks of travelling_, she thought.

Rose had grown up listening to this music. Her mate Shireen introduced her to the alternate-space-rock trio, and she was instantly hooked. The melodic riffs mesmerised; the beats and bass lines hypnotised; the vocals transported Rose away from the Estates, to somewhere new, wonderful, beautiful. All her life, Rose wished she could be taken away to these places, to see what inspired the three men who created such wonderful songs.

_The universe was kind, granting me that wish_. The revelation was not new to Rose, that she had received what she wanted. She wanted to be taken away from the Estates, and here she was, travelling through Time and Space with an alien in a little blue box.

The same alien who had taken her to a record shop on September the 14th 2009. It seemed to be just another random place in time for another adventure, but it had turned out to be a birthday present, Doctor's treat: the new Muse album, Resistance.

New, of course, being a relative term.

Since then, for about a fortnight, TARDIS-time, Rose had been listening to the album non-stop. Though she had thought it nigh impossible, the endless repeats of 11 songs seemed to be driving both the Doctor and the TARDIS mad. She should've known that 'impossible' doesn't have much meaning around the Doctor.

On the fourteenth day, the Doctor thought something had to be done about it.


	2. Festival

1 - Festival.

"Doctor, why are we here? I mean, this is 21st Century Earth!!"

"_Well_," drawing out the sound, "I thought I'd give you a treat, you know, a day off from the usual running for our lives while saving the universe... That's ok, right?" Big, brown eyes met Rose's, giving her the innocent-puppy-dog-look that he knew full well she couldn't resist.

"Yeah, 'course it's ok. But why is it so hot? We're not in London, are we?"

"Oh, no! This is Sydney, Australia. It's the 23rd of January, 2010, and this-" he paused for dramatic effect "-is the Olympic Park." Spreading his arms, the Doctor spun around in a small circle to emphasise his meaning.

Realisation entered Rose's eyes, as she turned and saw the Acer Stadium, made famous during the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. She proceeded to face the Doctor, gawping at him.

"But why? I mean, it is, 'coz I remember watching the Olympics on TV when I was 14, which made me want to backpack around Australia for years... but why are we here?" The Doctor just smiled enigmatically when Rose gazed at him quizzically. "Is this why you brought me here? To be a typical tourist for once?"

Running his hand through his brown hair, the Doctor looked away, muttering something about "Suspicious humans... curious... have to know everything..." then turned around and walked away, leaving Rose on her own outside the TARDIS.

"Doctor, why are we here, really? Is someone in trouble?" Rose spotted a fairly large group of people walking towards a fenced off area just near the big arena. "What're all these people doing? Is there a show or something?"

"If by show you mean the world's biggest travelling music festival to date, then yes, there's a show. Rose Tyler, this is the Big Day Out. Over 12 hours of non-stop music, with 6 different stages, over 700 people travelling with the gig, markets, friendly people, good food, and sun. Actually, lots of sun. How warm is it? Hmm," the Doctor licked a finger, and held it to the sky. "It's about 35 degrees Celsius, and it's only 10.30am. It's going to be a hot one. In fact, as I recall, it was very hot according to the reports..." He headed back towards the TARDIS, Rose close behind. As he disappeared inside, Rose felt slightly disappointed. She had said it was hot, and now the Doctor wanted to leave, coz she was complaining. She lingered at the door in hope that that may be enough to let her stay.

_He can't be that protective of my well-being, can he? I mean, I've dressed in summery casual anyway... _

After about three minutes of leaning up against the TARDIS's door, Rose jumped back as the Doctor's head poked out, removing her support.

"There you are! Here," he handed Rose a strange, faintly green bottle. "Spray it on your skin. It acts like a sunscreen, and cools your skin at the same time. Thought you may need it, seeing how susceptible you humans are to sunburn and skin cancer!"

"So we're staying?" _Please, please,_ please _let us be staying!!!_

"'Course we are, why'd you think different?"

_Oh_ "Never mind. Let's just go and enjoy ourselves!" With that, Rose covered her arms, legs and her back that was seen through her shirt with the soft, iridescent pink spray, handed it back to the Doctor, and skipped off towards the growing crowds. The Doctor pocketed the spray, closed the TARDIS, and headed after her.

As they approached the large group of people, Rose looked at the Doctor questioningly. Usually, a day off meant staying in the Time Vortex and pottering around, or going, after much convincing, to see Jackie. Rose didn't mind this change in routine, but wondered what had brought it on. Admittedly, she had been complaining about the lack of social life the two of them had, and how, whenever the Doctor brought her back to 21st Century Earth, it always seemed to be in the UK, even if they weren't due to see Jackie!

"What?" The Doctor had caught onto her look, and was now very worried. "Have I done something wrong?"

"No. Well, not yet," the Doctor gave Rose a hurt look then. "It's bound to happen at some stage! But really, I am curious why we're here. I'm certainly not complaining! Just curious, me."

"We're here to enjoy some good music, with good people. Does there have to be any other reason?" The Doctor scuffed his Converse-clad feet along the ground, hands stuffed in pockets, as he walked. 'Now he's sulky. Dammit, Rose, why'd you ruin his good mood??' Rose sought to lighten the mood, so she skipped a couple of steps to put her arm through his.

"Who's playing? I mean, we have the choice of many of these gigs, all over the world, so what makes this one stand out?"

Instantly, Rose was rewarded with the nearly maniacal grin of her second Doctor. "I'm sure you'll figure out who's headlining when we walk through the gates, but, to name a few, Karnivool, Lily Allen," said with a slight grimace, " Dizzie Rascal, Eskimo Joe, Jet, Midnight Juggernauts, Girl Talk, Sherlock's Daughter (they're going to be huge after this gig), Rise Against, Masterdon and Groove Armada are playing. It's a great line-up. And," he gave Rose a very pointed look, "You better be able to stay up til 11!"

Before Rose got a chance to ask what he meant by that last statement, the Doctor whipped two tickets out of his pockets, gave one to Rose, and walked through the gates. As they walked through, Rose was given a free program, and she flicked through to the line-up for the day. And, when she saw who were finishing the day, she let out a small gasp.

"This is why we're here. I'm sorry, but something had to stop you playing those songs for eternity. I couldn't last that long!"

"THANK YOU!!!!!" Rose ran at the Doctor, and crushed him in a bear hug.

"I'm getting to old for this. 900 years is fine and dandy when you're battling Daleks, but when being hugged by a 20 year old human girl? You're going to make me regenerate again if you keep doing that!" Though it was said in lightness, the Doctor thought it was possible. Stuffing his hands into his pockets, the Doctor turned on his heels, and started to walk, Rose hot on his heels.

"So, where to first, Doctor?"

"Dunno... Thought Sherlock's Daughter would be good to check out, you know, before they hit it big"

"Sounds good."

With that, they disappeared into the thickening crowds of people.


	3. Bonkers

2 - Bonkers.

Many hours and much amusement later, Rose found herself heading towards the Blue Stage after leaving the Boiler Room where she and the Doctor had danced with a few thousand people to Girl Talk's set-list. The cool change had arrived while they were inside, so they had missed the small shower that had passed over. Rose didn't mind, though. The change had brought with it clouds that cooled the day down, and hid the sun.

Despite the damp ground, people were still going crazy because of the music. Dizzie Rascal had just started his set-list, and the mosh pit was pulsing in time with his music. Rose couldn't wait to get in there!

Towards the end of Dizzie's gig, Rose had managed to find space up the back of the mosh for herself and the Doctor. Being crushed between the Doctor and a few other people Rose had never met was exciting, but she didn't know why. _Probably just the atmosphere of the place_, she thought. _Still, could be worse!_ Rose couldn't help but smirk at the thought.

Soon as the smirk left her lips, Dizzie started his hit 'Bonkers', and the mosh did just that - went bonkers! It was amazing! Even though Rose was at the back of the mosh pit, and could hardly see Dizzie himself, she felt a connection with him, his music, his grasp of life.

"_Some people think I'm bonkers, but I just think I'm free."_

Exactly how she felt, travelling as she did. With the Doctor, it was running for her life all the time, saving worlds on countless occasions, meeting nasty, evil villains; but, because she was with the Doctor, it was all worth. Like Sarah-Jane had said, the Doctor was worth the monsters, because, with him, Rose was free, able to go anywhere.

She really was bonkers, though – if she thought being crushed between about five random people and an alien was a day of relaxation, she needed to be shipped off to the nearest asylum!

All thought was swept away as both Rose and the Doctor, along with several thousand people, danced and jumped on the spot and went mad in time with the song. Pure, crazy bliss.


	4. Wait

3 – Wait.

When Dizzie Rascal's time on stage finished, and the crowds thinned out and moved towards the adjacent Orange stage for Lily Allen's bit, Rose and the Doctor moved slowly forward, getting very close, but not close enough to the stage. Rose was eager to get to the very front, even when the Doctor pointed out that there was still Lily Allen to finish, and the Mars Volta _and_ Powderfinger to play before Muse came on, and that all acts go for about an hour each.

"Don't care. Still wanna get to the front!"

"Alright, but it won't be possible just yet, because of the Mars Volta fans, and believe me, there aren't just a few of them!"

"Yeah, but after the Mars Volta, people will go, or move over to see Powderfinger play, so we can move in then."

After a few moments, the Doctor agreed to Rose's plan, and they set about waiting for Lily's hour to end; the whole time the Doctor complained about Lily's bad singing/songs/etc, much to the agreement of many people around them. They all had a bit of a laugh when, at one stage, Lily's microphone stopped working, and someone from the Blue stage's crowd yelled out "Bout time someone shut that cow up!" The Doctor verbally, and Rose silently, could not agree more.

After some time, Lily Allen's set finished, and the crowd around the Blue stage crushed together to get closer to the next act – the Mars Volta. As the boys of the band walked on stage, women screamed, men roared, and the mass of people contracted, as though the people around the edge were seeing how many people they could fit into the small space.

Soon, the Mars Volta had begun their set... which ended up feeling like a 50 minute song, just one that continued for their whole set. Really it was more than that, but the boys skilfully merged each song until it was a continuous flow of sound.

_Hypnotic_, Rose thought, watching the crowd around her move in unison. The music lulled her into a stupor. _Wonder what effect this has on the Doctor? _Rose turned, only to find the Doctor's eyes half closed, body swaying gently in time with the music. _Huh, never seen that before. Doubt I will again..._ She smiled at the thought, then turned back to watch the rest of the Volta set.

Nearly an hour later, Rose and the Doctor found themselves even closer to the front of the Blue Stage mosh pit. The Mars Volta had finished, their fans clearing away, and Powderfinger was playing on the adjacent Orange Stage, with 10 minutes to go before their set finished. During this time, Rose and the Doctor, mainly the Doctor, had been chatting about anything and everything, despite the even tighter crush. Rose was hardly standing at all, the push of the crowd keeping her upright.

While he was babbling, the Doctor was marvelling at Rose's glow, her happiness radiating in an almost infectious manner, the people around her joining in, and very soon the whole pit was aglow in anticipation as the time counted down to nothing. The atmosphere was so charged that the hair on the back of the Doctor's hand was on end, due to both the literal and metaphorical energy in the air; he couldn't hear anything but the constant white noise that everyone was making, not even what Rose was saying – even with his Time Lord 'powers' that he kept going on about to her!

Then, suddenly, it all went black....

...and silent. Again, the Doctor couldn't hear anything, however,_ this_ time it worried him, too used to associating silence with death.

_What's happening?_ He thought....

Nearly as suddenly as the silence began, screams erupted.


End file.
